This invention relates generally to disposable absorbent articles and more specifically to disposable absorbent articles, e.g., light incontinent pads, light menstrual cycle pads, and the like for use with thong underwear, that are arranged to be readily secured to the underwear.
Disposable absorbent sanitary articles, e.g., such as pantiliner pads, frequently make use of xe2x80x9cflapsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cwingsxe2x80x9d to facilitate securement of the pad to the interior surface of the crotch portion of underwear, e.g., panties or briefs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,829 (Lavash et al.) discloses a sanitary napkin that has longitudinal side edges that naturally wrap the sides of a wearer""s panties and are adhered thereto. The chassis shape is generally rectangular with an absorbent central core. As shown in FIG. 1, the absorbent core has a generally rectangular shape with rounded corners, slightly bowed ends and a somewhat narrowed waist in the center.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,886 (Sturino) discloses a panty liner especially for use with thong undergarments. The panty liner includes an absorbent core having first and second portions. The opposed sides of the second portion flare continuously from the sides of the first portion so that the second portion is wider than that of the first portion. A casing surrounds the absorbent core. One flap extends laterally from the casing adjacent the first portion of the absorbent core. Another flap extends laterally from the casing adjacent each of the opposed sides of the second portion of the absorbent core. An adhesive strip is secured to each of the flaps for attachment to the panties. The flaps are capable of being folded around the narrowed crotch portion of thong panties.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,773 (Ryan) discloses a disposable diaper having two longitudinal slits in the front end of a generally rectangular absorbent pad. Flaps are generated by fold lines originating on the edge of the pad at or near the rear corners and projected to intersect the adjacent slits at or near their inner ends. The flaps are folded inwardly to create a generally Y-shaped diaper having multiple layers of absorbent material in the area of heaviest wetting. The diaper is initially of a rectangular shape.
Other United States Letters Patents relating to pantiliner pads are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,852,026 (Karowski); 4,285,343 (McNair); 4,886,509 (Mattsson); 4,900,319 (Richwine); 5,037,417 (Ternstrom); 5,445,628 (Gipson); 5,454,803 (Sageser et al.); 5,542,943 (Sageser); and 5,906,008 (Heki et al.).
While all of the foregoing absorbent articles may be suitable for their intended purposes, they nevertheless leave something to be desired from the standpoints of ease of use, effectiveness, resistance to displacement, simplicity of construction, ease of manufacture and cost.
This invention relates to a disposable absorbent article, e.g., pantiliner or other absorbent pad, suitable for use with a thong-shaped undergarment to be worn by a wearer to trap and collect fluid waste products of the wearer. The pad is arranged to be releasably mounted to the crotch portion of the undergarment, with the crotch portion having an inner surface and an outer surface.
The pad is a thin, generally rectangularly shaped, generally planar member comprising a hydrophilic top-sheet, a moisture impervious outer cover sheet and a fluid absorbent core interposed between the top sheet and the outer cover sheet. The top sheet and the outer cover sheet are each of a generally rectangular shape and are coextensive in size. The top sheet and the outer cover sheet each have a pair of longitudinally extending marginal side edges, a transversely extending front edge and a transversely extending back edge. The core is of a generally wedge shape having a pair of marginal side edges, a transversely extending front edge and a transversely extending back edge.
The back edge of the core is disposed adjacent the back edges of the top-sheet and the cover sheet. The front edge of the core is disposed adjacent of the front edges of said top-sheet and the cover sheet. The marginal side edges of the core are disposed inward of the marginal side edges of the top-sheet and the cover sheet and taper from the front edge to the back edge, whereupon a pair of generally triangular foldable flaps extend outward of the marginal side edges of the core.
The outer cover includes first adhesive portions located in the area of the flaps for releasably mounting the pad on the inner surface of the undergarment with the first adhesive portions being arranged for engaging the outer surface of the undergarment. The pad may also include a second adhesive portion located on the outer cover in the area of the core and which is arranged for engaging the inner surface of the undergarment.
In accordance with one optional aspect of the invention the pad may include barrier lines in the core extending in a general longitudinal direction to deter migration of fluid laterally on the pad.